Issue 2/2016 - sarte-audio.com€¦ · disc, the album »Love Over Gold« by the Dire Straits, and finally I could listen to it on my own player. But hey, those days were very different

hifi& recordshochwertige Musikwiedergabe

Das Magazin für

»Masterpiece«:

Esoteric K-01 X

Reprint Issue 2/2016

December 1984 was cold and wet. Using public transport,I was then heading for a dealer in Essen who had an-nounced a used Philips CD 100. After 500 deutschmarks

had changed hands, I was carrying the compact player back homein a plastic bag. Four weeks earlier I had bought my first compactdisc, the album »Love Over Gold« by the Dire Straits, and finally Icould listen to it on my own player. But hey, those days were verydifferent from now: after inserting the CD, one had to close theplastic lid of the Philips manually, and for lack of a display there wasno time indication. Green LEDs were showing the number of thetracks, a second LED bar had been provided for the programming.

My CD and later also SACD collection has kept growing steadilyin over three decades. But whilst I still listen to the Dire Straitsalbum often and with pleasure, I used to change my CD playersregularly. I remember gladly the Denon DCD-1800, an ArcamDelta 70 or the Marantz SA-KI Pearl which is still with me today.Each of them marked a distinct leap in the quality of reproduction.Which, of course, raises the question as to how many steps are yetto come on this flight of stairs.

In issue 4/2014 of hifi & records I had definitely reached the top-most landing in every respect: not only does it answer to the nameof Esoteric Grandioso, but given an adequately perfect workman-ship, it also sounds as unique and precisely as the name suggests.However, this four-piece combination, which is hardly affordablefor ordinary mortals, has two siblings. The Esoteric K-03X, the»smallest« offspring in the family, made a successful appearancein issue 3/2015, likewise presenting an addictive reproduction thateasily deprived the numerous acoustic biases towards digital tech-nology their foundation. Now only one is still missing, and I couldnot and would not let this one pass by on me: the K-01X.

Mechanical mass seems to be a prerequisite for sonic excellence.The bigger brother weighs in at a hefty 31 kilograms, three morethan the K-03X. Three articulated special feet decouple it from the

installation area and provide a wobble-free stand in the rack. What a good-looking player this Esoteric K-01X is indeed! Its startup procedure did not giveme any problems, since it is identical to that of the K-03X. The K-01X can also put out the signal balanced or via RCA, yet prior to listening the activeoutput must be selected accordingly in the clearmenu. Sure, all functions of the player can also becontrolled on the device, but in practice the well-designed remote control should mostly be used for this.

In technical respect this mighty machine has, ofcourse, plenty to offer. The drive block of over fivekilograms is exactly the same as in the Esoteric flag-ship Grandioso P1. When the CD or SACD lies onthe drive pulley, it is pressed down from above on itsentire area by a platter which is suspended from amassive steel bridge of two centimetres thickness.Flapping motions of the sound carrier are thereforeno longer possible, whereby the accuracy in readingout the pits from the surface is increased. The pre-cise clock for suppressing any jitter errors is pro-vided by a voltage-controlled crystal oscillator whichis made exclusively for the Japanese.

The digital signal is then fed to two mono con-verter sections which are equal to those of theGrandioso D1. Esoteric uses eight 32-bit DACs fromAKM (AK 4495 S) per channel and the Muses 02 op-amps for the subsequent current/voltage conver-sion. A clever algorithm is supposed to charm anarithmetical 35-bit resolution out of the various con-verter elements connected in parallel, which onpaper is 2,048 times superior to a 24-bit unit. Thistechnology by Esoteric is said to be largely respon-sible for the fine mix of analogue sound and ulti-mate resolution while ensuring maximum lineari-ty at the lowest possible distortion level.

The power supply section is staffed with no lessthan four toroidal transformers located in the play-er basement: one for the drive unit, one for the traymechanism and the digital circuits – and, oh dearme, each D/A converter even has its dedicatedpower supply! That way negative influences on the

D I G I T A L

Its construction is evocative of a bank vault, it costs

a fortune and sounds as if it wasn’t of this world.

Would you mind, here comes the Esoteric K-01X.

Review: CD/SACD player Esoteric K-01X

Masterpiece2/2016 hifi & records

D I G I T A L

out, a gate will open.After sliding back in itencloses the SACD orCD in the drive. Onecan specify in themenu whether the CDdata shall be convert-ed in the original orwith double, quadru-ple or eight-fold up-sampling or else inDSD resolution. Afterthis has been done,now finally comes themoment I have beenwaiting for with batedbreath: »Play«.

The AvantgardeAcoustic Uno loud-

speakers were delighted with the notice-able added value in information the Eso-teric K-01X delivers from the very firstmoment. I promise you that already inless than one minute you will get an ideaabout another dimension in the repro-duction. In its SACD version Eleanor

Lab-Report

Esoteric K-01X (CD/DSD mode, bal.)

Distortion factor (THD+N) 0,012%IM distortions (SMPTE) 0,0016%IM distortions (CCIF) 0,0030%Unweighted noise volt. (20kHz filter) -102,6dB Weighted noise voltage (A-weighted) -105,1dBConverter linearity: -50 / -60 / -70dB 0,012 /0,001 /0,031dB-80 / -90dB 0,099 /0,103dBChannel deviation 0,025dBOutput voltage 3,44VOutput impedance (1kHz) 50,7ΩPower consumption (idle state) 15W

I f the theoretical 35 bit format of the

K-01X could be saved loss-free to the

analogue side, the S/N ratio would be

a mind-boggling -210 dB. With 16-bit

data from the CD the Esoteric also has

to make do with half as much, but

even this is world class and better than

the multi-part Grandioso. Interestingly

the S/N ratios in DSD mode are slightly

better, with the distortion values of

PCM 4fs being lower (0.0013 %). The

minimal HF roll-off could be seen in all

players of this brand so far.

Frequency response: Esoteric K-01X

Distortion spectrum: Esoteric K-01X

Noise spectrum: Esoteric K-01Xenergy plane shall be banned complete-ly. What an incredible extravagance. Ofcourse, it should hardly need mention-ing that the whole interior of the K-01Xhas been elaborated in electrotechnicalperfection.

By the way, the two converters have notbeen provided for the internal diet alone:they can also process digital signals fedin from outside. An interesting featureunder this aspect is the USB input whichcan handle both DSD 2.8 and 5.6 mega-hertz and PCM with a maximum sam-pling frequency of 384 kilohertz. Thoselimits should proba-bly be far beyond ofwhat the K-01X isthrown at in practice,but even so it works.Furthermore the Eso -teric website offers aMac/PC driver fordownload which isrequired for theseformats.

Already when pres -sing the open/closebutton, the K-01Xwill bring you truesensuous delight.The actual drawer isclosed by a lid. So be-fore the drawer slides

Crammed with technology: the interior

of the Esoteric K-01X with the massive

VRDS-NEO drive. Four toroidal trans-

formers located on the rear side make

the lot complete.

hifi & records 2/2016

McEvoy’s album »Yola« is wonderfullysuited for rendering differences audible.It’s the track »The Rain Falls« which con-quers the Esoteric Grandioso terrain. Atfirst it’s not the fine nuances, the flaw-lessness of the musical flow or the fabu-lously sonorous bass which mesmerizeme, but the completely changed atmos-phere of reproduction. It’s not me towhom the music comes through theloudspeakers, it’s rather the music whichdraws me right into the goings-on. ThisI have heard for once in my life only, andyes, that was over the multi-pieceGrandioso P1 and D1.

As the listening went on, the smoothcharacter of reproduction struck me aswell. It’s not that the music would bewrapped up in cotton wool, this is not thecase, but it is void of any harshness orsteeliness. As absurd as it may sound, butthis digital reproduction is by no means

»digital«. I can measure this also by thefact for how long I can listen to the mu-sic. There are spectacular audio systemswhich I don’t like listening to any moreafter fifteen minutes. And there is thisEsoteric player which keeps on tellingme between the notes that it would loveto continue playing music, if I please.

Finally here it comes: »Love OverGold«, bought in 1984, played withoutdoubt several hundred times. Mean-while I can even precisely distinguishthe noise tails caused by pulling up anddown the faders on the mixing console.Now each single guitar note is ringingout with such credibility and MarkKnopfler is actually singing with hischaracterful voice so accordingly withthe presumed reality that there is noth-ing any more between the music andme. 32 years after the Philips CD 100,digital reproduction technology hasreached a standard with the Esoteric K-01X that should easily surpass thedemands of even the most critical musiclisteners.

EsotericK-01X

WxHxD 44,5 x 16,5 x 44 cm

Warranty 2 years

Price 20.000 Euros

Distribution Pioneer & Onkyo

Gutenbergstraße 3

82178 Puchheim

Phone 08142 - 4208-10

The Esoteric K-01Xis a superb high-end audio compo-

nent. Digital music has got the smooth-ness of an analogue sound medium, butat the same time with far greater dynam-ics, total freedom from noise and, ofcourse, clicking and complemented by anenergetic intensity that has no rival in thefield of integrated digital machines. Whata pity that the K-01X is too heavy for a plas-tic bag, but I will find a way to forever en-joy its performance. Olaf Sturm

Result

Erleben Sie den audiophilen X-Faktor:die neuen CD/SACD-Player der

legendären K-Serie.Der Maßstab

Esoteric K-01Xmonaural D/A-converters, 35-bit processing

VRDS-NEO VMK-3.5-20S LaufwerkUSB-Support DSD & PCM

UVP 20.000€* Stck.



UVP 13.000€* Stck.

Pioneer & Onkyo Europe Electronics GmbH D-82178 Puchheim


VRDS-NEO VMK-5 LaufwerkUSB-Support DSD & PCM

UVP 8.500€* Stck.


VOSP SACD-LaufwerkUSB-Support DSD & PCM

UVP: 6.000€* Stck.

100%100%

KLANG-NIVEAU SACDKLANG-NIVEAU CD

* Unverbindliche Preisempfehlung inkl. gültiger MwSt.

Esoteric-Produkte erhalten Sie ausschließlich im hochwertigen

Erleben Sie den audiophilen X-Faktor:die neuen CD/SACD-Player der

legendären K-Serie.Der Maßstab

Esoteric K-01XEsoteric K-01Xmonaural D/A-converters, 35-bit processing


UVP 20.000€* Stck.



UVP 13.000€* Stck.

Pioneer & Onkyo Europe Electronics GmbH D-82178 Puchheim


VRDS-NEO VMK-5 LaufwerkUSB-Support DSD & PCM

UVP 8.500€* Stck.


VOSP SACD-LaufwerkUSB-Support DSD & PCM

UVP: 6.000€* Stck.

100%100%100%

KLANG-NIVEAU SACDKLANG-NIVEAU CDKLANG-NIVEAU CD

* Unverbindliche Preisempfehlung inkl. gültiger MwSt.

Esoteric-Produkte erhalten Sie ausschließlich im hochwertigen

© monomedia Verlag, Schwabstraße 4, D-71106 Magstadt, Germany, www.monomedia.dehifi & records is published quarterly, annual subscription fee in Germany v 46, outside Germany v 56

Documents

Issue 2/2016 - sarte-audio.com€¦ · disc, the album »Love Over Gold« by the Dire Straits, and finally I could listen to it on my own player. But hey, those days were very different